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Teacher #6
Educating Jack
Another year of tears and laughter at Ragley-on-the-Forest Village School.
As the 1982 school year begins, Jack Sheffield returns to Ragley village school for his sixth year as headteacher. Nora Pratt celebrates twenty-five years in her coffee shop, Ronnie Smith finally tries to get a job, and little Krystal Entwhistle causes concern in the school Nativity play. It's the time of ET and Greenham Common, Price William's birth, Fame legwarmers and the puzzling introduction of the 20p piece. Meanwhile, for Jack, the biggest surprise of his life is in store.
As the 1982 school year begins, Jack Sheffield returns to Ragley village school for his sixth year as headteacher. Nora Pratt celebrates twenty-five years in her coffee shop, Ronnie Smith finally tries to get a job, and little Krystal Entwhistle causes concern in the school Nativity play. It's the time of ET and Greenham Common, Price William's birth, Fame legwarmers and the puzzling introduction of the 20p piece. Meanwhile, for Jack, the biggest surprise of his life is in store.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 19, 2012
21 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Jack Sheffield
42 books77 followersJack Sheffield (born Jack Linley, 1945) is a British author who wrote a series of books of fiction about the headmaster of a village school in a fictional Yorkshire village. The stories are set from the late 1970s to the early 1980s and attempt to portray life in Yorkshire as it was at that time.
He was trained as a teacher at St John's College, York and later became head teacher of two schools in North Yorkshire and then senior lecturer in primary education at Bretton Hall.
He took up writing after retirement, and his first novel "Teacher, Teacher!" sold 100,000 copies
He was trained as a teacher at St John's College, York and later became head teacher of two schools in North Yorkshire and then senior lecturer in primary education at Bretton Hall.
He took up writing after retirement, and his first novel "Teacher, Teacher!" sold 100,000 copies
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 18, 2012
Jack Sheffield's books have a formula and for me that is what makes them great easy reads and the newest book Educating Jack was just the same. It follows the same structure as previous novels, each chapter covering a time period through the school year, starting September through to the summer holidays covering scholastic tales. The most wonderful things about school life to teachers, pupils and parents are covered, the wonder Christmas parties, school trips and the lovely rhymes that I remember singing whilst skipping. I remember the words, but it is years since I did any skipping!
It is six years now since Jack came as headteacher to the Ragley School and now those who were new when he was are off on their new adventures to senior school. So it is somewhat a poignant novel more so by the inclusion of lots more details about the personal lives and loves of the characters that make up the wonderful village of Ragley on the Forest where the school is based.
With the cliff hanger ending from his previous book life is certainly fragile and this book shows it all, and opportunities must be taken no matter what the future hold, especially when the world is changing around the characters. The country was still basking in the glory of the war in the Falklands but there was a more pressing problem on home ground with the possibility of striking miners, Mrs Thatcher has a new war to fight. Choice for television entertainment went mad with a fourth channel to watch. A future king had been born, everyone could now watch their weight when coke went ‘diet’ and “police in Gwent announced they were to cease their campaign of stopping drivers and giving them pens for good driving”.
Vera decides that she must seize the opportunity of happiness away from the vicarage and her brother and brings her marriage forward to Christmas, and what a lovely setting that it is. Jack and Beth now married are celebrating their first Christmas together with an extra special present for them both. The other teachers, Ann, Sally and Jo are looking forward and back with significant age birthdays, DIY disaster husbands and a new career which will during new challenges.
Educating Jack has everything you want for a good read; the familiar characters are back you feel like you are standing in The Royal Oak with everyone else. I felt this book was more emotional than the others, it feels like Jack has settled into his life both personally and professionally but with the advent of cutbacks, new curriculum changes, standards and tests to meet perhaps the education world is something which is going to change beyond all recognition. How will the delightful little school at Ragley-on-the-Forest manage?
It is six years now since Jack came as headteacher to the Ragley School and now those who were new when he was are off on their new adventures to senior school. So it is somewhat a poignant novel more so by the inclusion of lots more details about the personal lives and loves of the characters that make up the wonderful village of Ragley on the Forest where the school is based.
With the cliff hanger ending from his previous book life is certainly fragile and this book shows it all, and opportunities must be taken no matter what the future hold, especially when the world is changing around the characters. The country was still basking in the glory of the war in the Falklands but there was a more pressing problem on home ground with the possibility of striking miners, Mrs Thatcher has a new war to fight. Choice for television entertainment went mad with a fourth channel to watch. A future king had been born, everyone could now watch their weight when coke went ‘diet’ and “police in Gwent announced they were to cease their campaign of stopping drivers and giving them pens for good driving”.
Vera decides that she must seize the opportunity of happiness away from the vicarage and her brother and brings her marriage forward to Christmas, and what a lovely setting that it is. Jack and Beth now married are celebrating their first Christmas together with an extra special present for them both. The other teachers, Ann, Sally and Jo are looking forward and back with significant age birthdays, DIY disaster husbands and a new career which will during new challenges.
Educating Jack has everything you want for a good read; the familiar characters are back you feel like you are standing in The Royal Oak with everyone else. I felt this book was more emotional than the others, it feels like Jack has settled into his life both personally and professionally but with the advent of cutbacks, new curriculum changes, standards and tests to meet perhaps the education world is something which is going to change beyond all recognition. How will the delightful little school at Ragley-on-the-Forest manage?
November 15, 2012
Again more comments which are funny looking back with the benefit of hindsight. The best in this book is when one of the characters says there is something you can always reply on: "Woolworth's pick and mix will always be there".
The story starts with two of the main characters having been hurt in a car accident at the end of the last book and it is causing other characters to question their lives. There seem to be a lot of changes in this book and the book hints and change all the way through. Looking forward to the next one!
The story starts with two of the main characters having been hurt in a car accident at the end of the last book and it is causing other characters to question their lives. There seem to be a lot of changes in this book and the book hints and change all the way through. Looking forward to the next one!
January 29, 2023
There’s some criticism about the repetitive nature of these books - but this is surely inevitable as each volume tracks successive academic years at Ragley village school.
As the career of Jack Sheffield marches on through the 80s, the rinse and repeat lives of the teachers, pupils and loveable village characters in the tight knit North Yorkshire community has a strange comfort to it.
As the career of Jack Sheffield marches on through the 80s, the rinse and repeat lives of the teachers, pupils and loveable village characters in the tight knit North Yorkshire community has a strange comfort to it.
August 24, 2017
Lovely and funny as usual ❤️
June 25, 2019
Another in the ongoing ‘teacher’ series that I’m attempting to read through this year. Sweet, charming, and nostalgic.
July 14, 2019
This series gets better and better. I love the innocence of youth
June 9, 2021
Another lovely story by Jack Sheffield. Love following the familer characters through another school year
January 14, 2022
A cosy read. Brings the characters to life
January 30, 2020
I am beginning to remember why I loved these books so much last time as I get further into the series. Cant wait to read the final two instalments which is why I am reading the previous novels although I probably didn't need to they could quite easily stand alone transporting people back to a more innocent time before the national curriculum and health and safety gone mad, these books really do conjure up images of childhood with conkers and teddy bears picnics. Although the characters are slightly annoying at times you do feel like you know them all personally and Jack has a lovely way of depicting the times that he is writing about whether it be by general trivia of what song was in the top ten or what toy was all the rage.
Read
August 25, 2012Loved it. An easy read but written with warmth and humour.
October 28, 2012
Read over a day in bed with an ear infection. Very charming & totally different to how I work in a school nowadays (set in 1982 before the National Curriculum).
Read
February 21, 2014Very enjoyable light reading
March 13, 2014
Formulaic and therefore easy read in the style of Miss Read's books but not quite as comforting. Quite preachy
February 26, 2012
A slower pace of life and any easy read
February 28, 2013
An easy and cosy read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews